Nervous? Me too. The Chicago Cubs can’t make things easy. Expectations have been flying around the sporting world in hope of what can turn out to be one of the greatest sporting events that everybody and their grandmothers have seen, the Cubs touring the greatest city in the world with the trophy of America’s past-time - ending the greatest draught in sports. I mean its going to happen right? The NY Giants pulled off the impossible by beating the undefeated infallible Patriots in the Super Bowl on Febraury 3rd. The Boston Celtics ended their 22 year draught on June 17 after being one of the worst teams in the NBA in 2007. An injured Tiger Woods had an impressive U.S. Open - winning in a 91 hole battle against underdog Mediate on June 16, one of the best golfing events ever played. To top it off, Nadal took the title from Federer on July 6 in an epic battle at Wimbledon. So why can’t the Cubs join in on the fun?
The Cubs have kept us interested. Holding the best record in the National League and dominating the central, for the most part since day one, the Cubs made it less nerve-racking for us fans that expect them to fall in September once again. The team turned acronym, C-U-B-S, Completely Useless By September, brought that familiar feeling once again but rebounded and became the NL Central champions. So that leaves us where we are now, playing the LA Dodgers with their legendary coach and one of the most clutch hitters in the history of the game, Manny Ramirez. DON’T LET THE STAR BEAT YOU! So much for that.
After Dempster threw 14 pitches and forced Manny Ramirez into a double play in the first inning, I thought this might be a game for the ages, the beginning of the rise to the top. My hopes and dreams came alive as Mark DeRosa sent one over the ivy on a lazy fly ball to right driving in ex-enemy-Edmonds following his base hit to right center field. 2-0 at the end of two. We’re good right?
Wrong. Concluding the third inning, home-field ace Ryan Dempster had posted 4 walks while escaping only with a couple of nice plays to end the inning. Japanese sensation turned flop, Kosuke Fukudome, chased down a fly ball towards the visitor bullpen, performed the Japanese version of the 2-step over the bullpen hill and made a nice catch. Dempster allowed the next two on the base paths with a hit and his third base on balls. Shortly following, Soriano showed a glimmer of outfield hope as he chased down Russel Martin’s deep fly to the warning track and pulled it down for 2 out. Evil Ramirez followed with a base hit loading the bases. Time for playoff atmosphere. The crowd came to life on a 1-2 count to Ethier as he worked it to 3-2. Promptly Dempster escapes on a strikeout to end the inning. Cubs up 2-0, narrowly escaping a jam. Dempster escaped the 4th without adding to his walk total and kept the goose egg on the board for LA. In the bottom half of the inning the Cubs left two men on as Dempster struck out to conclude the 4th. And so it begins. 
Despite already allowing 4 walks, it wasn’t until the top half of the 5th with 1 out that Dempster brought the count to 3-0, eventually giving the Dodgers a free pass to first base for the 5th time in the game. Following was another 3-0 count, this time concluding in a pop out to right field. Here comes Manny! Just put him on base right? Well, Dempster did just that with the crowd on their feet- once again. With a full count, the excitement builds as the cameras flash, the…WALK, 6 free passes in 5 innings. The always dangerous Ethier comes out to the plate as Dempster reaches his 100th pitch and decides he will allow him to take his base as well, leaving the bases full of the wrong color blue. The crowd came to their feet once again and on cue - grand slam Loney. As Cubdom’s collective breathe gets stolen away by a west coast breeze, the Dodgers take the 4-2 lead. After allowing another hit (double) sweet Lou comes out and replaces Dempster with big foot, Sean Marshall, who promptly ends the inning. Don’t worry, the Cubs have a potent offense, we’ll come back!
Wrong. Soriano comes up in the 5th really threatening Dodger nation with one of the ugliest strikeouts I have seen since Sammy Sosa chased sliders away at a consistent pace, but Fukudome tried keeping it alive with an infield hit. Up comes “DP” Lee. What happens next? Well you know the story, Lee tied Ron Santo for the most double plays by a Cub in a single season, so what does he do? Double play, end of inning. Marshall escapes the 6th untouched, as the Cubs followed suit keeping the score at 4-2.
8:53 pm (et) my hands came to my head, my head to the table, and my beer spilling beside me as I watched the East Coast turned West Coast star add to the beating- HR Manny Ramirez, my heart snapped in half and my confidence levels dropped. He’s unreal in the playoffs and will continue to give me nightmares until he retires. The Cubs once again didn’t respond, accept for a PH single by the wonder-hampster, Mike Fontenot. The little guys seem to be doing the right things, maybe its because they aren’t blinded by multi-million dollar contracts - significantly reducing Cubdoms expectations of them. Whatever it is, the middle of the Cubs lineup needs to step it up. 5-2 Dodgers. They are done scoring right?
Wrong. By the time the 8th inning rolled around, the Dodgers decided they were just getting started. Jeff (The Shark) Samardzija comes in relief - a rookie coming in to pitch for a franchise with the entire world on their shoulders just waiting for another historical collapse - good idea Lou! Dewitt tripled and Blake follows with an RBI single making the score 6-2. In comes Broxton, we got to their bullpen, but did we do anything….no.
Oh it’s not over yet! Just when you thought its possible to score 4 runs in an inning, considering the Cubs tendency to have 7 to 8 run rallys, starter turned post-season reliever Jason Marquis comes in relief and lets up a solo shot to Russell Martin. 7-2 Dodgers. The crowd did get on their feet once more, but only to show some respect for one of the greatest pitchers to ever live who once wore Cubbie Blue with pirde, Greg Maddux. Only Theriot would reach base, and the Cubs would perish to a final score of 7-2.
The lesson of the day - QUIT WALKING PEOPLE. If the Cubs could eliminate walking 8 guys, maybe 7 runs would never have been scored, a grand slam would have never happened and Dempster’s pitch count would have stayed low. This is something you are taught in little league. Another thing you are taught is to not let the star beat you, aka Manny Ramirez. He hit a HR! Our “stars” didn’t do squat, only the little guys got it done. There is nothing more frustrating than losing home field advantage after a good old fashion whooping and in good ol’ Cubs fashion at that. This is playoff baseball at Wrigley field and the game ended in a much deserved boo from the Wrigley faithful, sad. Big Z on the mound tonight against Billingsley for the Dodgers. The game will be aired at 9:30 (et) on TBS! Let’s go Cubs! Let’s get some runs so we can sing and dance to “Go Cubs Go” allowing chills to once again creep down my spine and across my arms as we become part of this amazing ride the Cubs have taken us on thus far in 2008!
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